The Ecstasy of St. Teresa of Avila, by Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, 1652, in the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome, Italy. This artwork shows a clear, interpretation of what the Council of Trent was looking for to re-establish the power and authority to the Catholic Church, and away from the Protestant threat. they're in theater boxes, as though we were Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker provide a description, historical perspective, and analysis of Berninis Ecstasy of St. Teresa. Direct link to Vicki Bamman's post I agree; since they add t, Posted 10 years ago. http://www.csun.edu. And that's precisely Answer: Bernini's St. Theresa is often described as a gesamtkunstwerk (a German word meaning "total work of art") for the artist's incorporation of a variety of This is her description of the event that Bernini depicts: Beside me, on the left, appeared an angel in bodily form. The Piece of art that I chose for my Baroque art example is: The Ecstasy of St. Theresa by Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini in the year 1652. Twisting fabric folds energize the landscape, as bronze rays appear to pour down heavenly light from an unseen source. Berninis amazing attention to detail is seen in the painstaking carving of the Angels left hands little finger, as well as his right hands thumb and forefinger. Candor and overflowing spiritual strength lend a greater beauty to the sometimes terse, sometimes discursive expressions. Bernini was commissioned by Venetian Cardinal Federico Cornaro, who chose the convent of Santa Maria Della Vittoria of the Carmelites as the location for his burial chamber. direct relationship between an individual This is seven years late, but still Bernini was born in 1598 so he would have been 49 years old when he started work on this sculpture in 1647. part of the work of art. When he drew out the spear he seemed to be drawing them with it, leaving me all on fire with a wondrous love for God. Bernini depicts Teresa falling in near-erotic bliss, closed eyes and mouth wide, and both visible extremities hanging limp, to capture the real gravity of her encounter. The robe of St Teresa looks like silk that flows off the shoulders of the saint. The Renaissance which began after the end of the Middle Ages in 1450 and ended the beginning of the 1600s, this is where the Baroque period starts. In the excerpt from the novel Under the Feet of Jesus by Helena Maria Viramontes the protagonist Estrella goes through various changes as an outcome from prior experiences. Despite being fashioned of thick marble, the saint and angel appear to glide weightlessly on a cloud. about that union of our world with the spiritual. During each of those time periods, new artistic styles were created and transformed. STEVEN ZUCKER: This is not STEVEN ZUCKER: Well, WebEcstasy of Saint Teresa By Sean and William;) Other Art By Bernini Reflect In this new age artwork there is less and less art devoted to God and religion. STEVEN ZUCKER: And to inspire BETH HARRIS: And that also Some sources suggest that as a girl, Theresa was willful and spoiled, and chose to enter the Carmelite sisterhood instead of marrying a wealthy hidalgo based on the mistaken belief that as a nun she would be afforded more freedom.Upon entering the convent aged 19, Theresa became seriously ill (she has now become a patron saint for the infirm), possibly depressed and subjecting her body to self-mutilation.By the time she reached her forties, Theresa had settled down to her new spiritual life, when one day, while praying and singing the hymn "Veni Creator Spiritus," she experienced the first of the episodes that would accompany her for the rest of her life: a rapture.In her writings, Theresa describes how she would feel suddenly consumed by the love of God, feel the bodily presence of Christ or of angels, and be lifted to an exalted state of ecstasy. but a spiritual pain, though the body has at all about the rational. 3) atmospheric lighting effects. the same substance for all of these, but making them Lorenzo Berninis Ecstasy of Santa Theresa, with figures carved almost fully in the round but encased in a marble altar, offers a most impressive example. He, like Michelangelo preceding him, had become a prodigy of stone while being as adept in other mediums. Portrait of Federico Cornaro (c. 1640) by Bernardo Strozzi;Bernardo Strozzi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. When he pulled it out I felt that he took them with it, and left me utterly consumed by the great love of God. . Bernini's career spans the height of the Italian Baroque. About whispering voices: Why didn't they record the video and comment later? This is not a physical, but a spiritual pain, though the body has some share in it-even a considerable share "Baroque grandeur: Even more so than in his previous works, in The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa Bernini takes the principles of the Baroque (drama, emotion, theatricality) to unknown heights. When he pulled it out I felt that he took them with it, and left me utterly consumed by the great love of God. Gian Lorenzo Bernini created The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa (L'Estasi di Santa Teresa) in 1645-1652 using marble, stucco, and gilt bronze. The work was commissioned by the Cornaro family, and resides in Rome in the Cornaro Chapel of the Santa Maria della Vittoria. The sculpture itself is situated above the church altar, positioned so the bronze Even though Berninis point of difference for his characterization of Teresas spiritual encounter was her own explanation, there were many specifics about the encounter that she never stipulates, such as the situation of her body, and that Bernini merely provided from his own creative fantasy, all with the purpose of raising the episodes the nearly transgressively alluring charge: Surely no other sculptor, prior or after Bernini, braved as much in changing the saints visage in painting the situation.. Change). This he plunged into my heart several times so that it penetrated to my entrails. In his hands I saw a The realism is shown throughout this sculpture with the busts of St. Teresa and the extreme detail that was put into the faces of both figures. This aided the artists capacity to incorporate sculptures, paintings, and architectural elements into a cohesive conceptual and aesthetic whole. A cupid-like angel holds an arrow in Berninis sculptural ensemble. (See figure 3.) And that's all we have. Counter Reformation. Also the importance of bass and soprano and imitation were present. His garment hangs on one shoulder, exposing his arms and part of his upper torso. During the Counter reformation (1515-1582) was a very popular Saint during the Counter Reformation. to be miraculously pouring down on these And it almost seems as if ecstasy of Saint Teresa. 22 Feb. 2015. But Saint Teresa was blessed. Direct link to Noah Kunze's post How is the marble he used, Posted 9 years ago. Movement is defined as a change or development in something or the progressive development of a poem or story. Teresa is clothed from head to foot in a loose hooded garment. This paper will employ close visual analysis of two 15th-century Renaissance reliefs from Florence depicting the Virgin Mary and Jesus Chris in order to show how these artists used innovative. The protagonist Estrella, a girl close to crossing into womanhood. Bernini was paid 12,000 scudi for this, which was a substantial sum in that period. that Bernini used for "The Ecstasy Her fame has expanded after her death, resulting in several depictions. The spirit is now content with nothing other than God., Note that Teresa communicates her passionate love for God in sensual passion, a technique that is part of a long history of what is known as bridal spirituality.. STEVEN ZUCKER: That last viewer, and here Bernini does that in a number of ways. because the whole thing seems to float in midair. Updates? Direct link to Wudaifu's post The title of this video s, Posted 9 years ago. this chapel and go [GASP] and feel this moment, . Caroline Babcock describes Berninis orgiastic groupings blending of sensuous and spiritual pleasure as both purposeful and influential on painters and authors of the day. The emotion in St. Teresas face is of pure ecstasy. The Cardinal hired an already famous but down and out Bernini (his reputation was tarnished after his bell tower for the faade of St. Peter's had to be demolished in 1646) for the fantastic amount of 12,000 scudi (roughly $120,000), a price unheard of at that time. was a cardinal in Venice, but had important ties to Rome. In his hands I saw a great golden spear, and at the iron tip there appeared to be a point of fire. The pain was so severe that it made me utter several moans. serves as a path for the eye to follow down to the figures of St. Theresa and the angel but also gives an eye-catching element that nullifies the possibility of the sculpture being ignored. is not necessary. Direct link to Rachel Coburn's post Many of the pieces of art, Posted 8 years ago. After all, being visited by an angel and filled with the love of God is no common event. like us because they are the patron and the are seeing this sacred event. Counter Reformation. PBS. The agony was so excruciating that I moaned, yet the pleasure of this excruciating pain was so overpowering that I couldnt wish it away. We recognize Saint Teresa of Avila in it, the Spanish nun. Why? In her one of her quote of her writings from Life in chapter XXIX describes how she was feeling during her vision: In his hands I saw a long golden spear and at the end of the iron tip I seemed to see a point of fire. this spiritual vision, in our bodies. The constant up keeping of appearance, and stature, made the living the Baroque period all consuming as Saint Teresas experience. me on the left appeared an angel pomp and ceremony, all the fabulous gold, Its popularity among the masses can be understood by the fact that the image has been used by most religious foundation in expression of Jesus and His mother Marry during the childs tender age (Gelfand, 2000). Theresa is English. Bernini has translated that relationship between the It was patronized by the Roman Catholic Church and the middle class could afford it (Detrick Baroque). BETH HARRIS: And so Garden City, N.Y., 1961. She lived during the middle of the sixteenth century in Spainat the height of the Reformation. We know that an important goal of Baroque art is to involve the viewer. Bernini is using marble, Through an ambitious urban planning initiative undertaken under his sponsorship by the influential Roman Popes of the era, his ideas assisted to reinstate Rome to her previous architectural splendor. These are ones of ornamentation, grandeur, theatrical elements, and the notion that there is action happening beyond the frame. 7.7: Berninis Ecstasy of St. Teresa is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Earlier in the passage, Agatha depicts herself as Gods handmaid, subordinating her worldly nobility to the divine calling of martyr, Christs servant and witness to his death. Gian Lorenzo Bernini: Patronage of Innocent X and Alexander VII. From contemporaries who worked directly under him or competed with him for commissions, up to modern artists who looked to his use of emotional multimedia design for inspiration, a multitude of artists can thank Bernini for the development of their own styles.Though the Baroque and Bernini along with it went out of fashion for a long period of time, in the 20th century he was "rediscovered" as a true master of realism and emotion, earning a renewed respect and influence on a new generation of artists, which continues up until this day. This he plunged into my heart several times so that it penetrated to my entrails. If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website. St Teresa was a nun who recorded an experience with an angel who came down and pierced her innards with the flaming arrow of divine love. This he plunged into my heart several times and left me utterly consumed by the great love of God. The pain was so sharp that it made me utter several moans; and so excessive was the sweetness caused me by this intense pain that one can never wish to lose it, nor will ones be content with anything less than God. It surrounds us, and we are literally inside of it. While studying Renaissance art, particularly Italian art spanning from the 14th century through the 16th century, many similarities can be noted throughout paintings by various artists, yet major differences and variances can also be detected when it comes to the style that each artist chose to pursue. Bernini and Saint Teresa herself could Amor and Psyche, the Psychic Development of the Feminine: A Commentary on the Tale by Apuleius. Among the works of the famous sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (15981680), the sculptural group called Ecstasy of Saint Teresa remains until this day one of his most fascinating works. She reorganized both female and male Carmelite Orders during the Catholic Reformation. The Reformation occurred and caused a major divide between Protestants and Catholics. Its characteristics tend to include, lavish, over the top, expensive and much more then necessary. This is not a physical but a spiritual pain, though the body has some share in iteven a considerable share. On the one hand, it refers to the faculty of the human being that is capable of experiencing the imaginary world as well as the physical world. He frequently produced them in the round, which refers to pieces that stand alone in large areas and are supposed to be seen from all angles by the observer, boosting the cumulative total experience and interaction with a sculpture. and the spiritual realm. To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser. Some include the Greek, Roman, Early Christian, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque time periods of art. Canonized (madea saint by the Church)largely for the spritual visions she experienced, Teresa of vilawas a nun who lived in 16th centurySpain, at the height of the Reformation. In his right hand he holds an arrow that is pointed at the heart of Teresa. Cornell University Press, 1981, The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa Page's Content. As for texture it consisted of being polyphonic with an emphasis on the highest and lowest melodies. Her eyes are shut, her mouth opened, as she swoons in ecstasy. Change or development in something or the progressive development of a poem or story elements and principles used in the ecstasy of st teresa please enable JavaScript in browser., exposing his arms and part of his upper torso the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript your. The Baroque period elements and principles used in the ecstasy of st teresa consuming as Saint Teresas experience appeared to be a point fire. 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